Save Our Hospitals is a resident-led campaign group formed in July 2012. We are FIGHTING against the NHS plans to DEMOLISH Charing Cross Hospital and downgrading of our A&Es( Hammersmith, Charing Cross, Ealing and Central Middlesex Hospitals)

Saturday, 31 May 2014

BBC News - St Mary's Hospital A&E at 'maximum' capacity

Hammersmith and Central Middlesex A&E departments will close on the same day

"[St Mary's] will receive an additional 25 ambulances and up to 15 UCC-referred patients a day converting to 13 admissions, and therefore plans for additional capacity are being developed."

But it added that plans to find additional space was "unlikely to conclude prior to the closure of the EU (emergency unit)".

Mr Slaughter said: "Closing Hammersmith A&E… with four months notice, and by their own admission that they are not ready with alternative services, is dangerous and irresponsible and we are going to do everything we can to stop that happening."

He added he had urged Hammersmith and Fulham Council to speak to the NHS Trust to "persuade them to go back and look at this again".

'Better for patients'

The report also said there was a "clinical risk in recruitment and a financial risk" as junior medical staff would have their contracts terminated on 6 August meaning the hospital would have to rely on locums for a month.

Dr Mark Spencer, deputy medical director for the NHS in London, said: "What we're doing in each case is moving the small teams of doctors that are managing the A&Es at Hammersmith or Central Middlesex and moving them to larger units to provide better care over 24 hours a day which is much better for patients."

Under the government's plans, nine hospitals in north-west London will be redesigned so the most serious emergencies can be dealt with at A&Es in Hillingdon, Northwick Park, West Middlesex, Chelsea and Westminster or St Mary's hospitals.

The Trust must now approve proposals to close Hammersmith Hospital and Charing Cross Hospital A&E departments on 10 September.